Overview

The Book of Tobit is a religious short story, often described as a Jewish novel, that blends wisdom literature, folklore, and theology. It tells the story of two devout Jewish families living in exile. Tobit, a righteous man in Nineveh, is blinded after piously burying the dead, while Sarah, a young woman in Media, is tormented by a demon who has killed her seven successive husbands. In their despair, both pray for death. God answers by sending the archangel Raphael, disguised as a human guide named Azariah. Raphael accompanies Tobit's son, Tobias, on a journey that leads to the healing of both families. The book is cherished for its charming narrative, its moral instruction on charity and family loyalty, and its detailed depiction of angelic intervention in human life.

Summary

The Book of Tobit follows the pious Israelite Tobit, living in exile in Nineveh during the Assyrian empire. Despite personal risk, he faithfully observes Jewish law, especially by giving alms and burying the abandoned dead. After being accidentally blinded by bird droppings, he falls into poverty and despair, praying to God for death. At the same time, in the distant city of Ecbatana, a young kinswoman named Sarah is also praying for death. She has been married seven times, but the jealous demon Asmodeus has killed each husband on their wedding night. God hears both prayers and dispatches the archangel Raphael to bring healing. Tobit, remembering a sum of money he deposited in Media, sends his son Tobias to retrieve it. Tobias finds a guide for the journey, who is Raphael in disguise. Along the way, Raphael instructs Tobias to catch a fish and save its heart, liver, and gall. He then guides Tobias to Ecbatana, encouraging him to marry Sarah and explaining that burning the fish's heart and liver will drive Asmodeus away. Tobias follows the instructions, the demon is banished, and the marriage is consummated safely. After retrieving the money, Tobias, Sarah, and Raphael return to Nineveh. There, Tobias uses the fish's gall to cure his father's blindness. Finally, Raphael reveals his true identity as 'one of the seven angels who stand before the Lord' before ascending to heaven. A grateful Tobit sings a hymn of praise and gives his son final instructions before dying in peace.

Historical Context

The Book of Tobit was composed during the Hellenistic period, likely in the late 3rd or early 2nd century BCE. Though its narrative is set during the Assyrian exile of the 8th century BCE, the text contains historical anachronisms and reflects the social and religious concerns of Diaspora Jews living centuries later under Greek rule. The story serves as a didactic tale, providing a model for maintaining Jewish identity in a foreign, pagan environment. Key themes such as endogamy (marrying within the tribe), ritual purity, almsgiving, and proper burial were vital for communities struggling to resist assimilation. The book's literary form as a religious romance with a clear plot, character development, and a happy resolution was a popular genre in the Hellenistic world. Its developed angelology, featuring a named angel (Raphael) with a specific mission and a named demon (Asmodeus), is characteristic of the theological speculation of Second Temple Judaism. The original language was Semitic, likely Aramaic or Hebrew, placing its origins firmly within a Jewish context before its translation into Greek for inclusion in the Septuagint.

Why It Was Excluded from the Canon

Tobit's canonical status has been a subject of debate. It was not included in the Hebrew Bible canon finalized by Rabbinic Judaism around the 2nd century CE. This exclusion was likely due to its relatively late date of composition, its romantic or folkloric genre which differed from prophetic and legal texts, and initial uncertainty about its original language. Early Christians, who primarily used the Greek Septuagint which contained Tobit, held it in high regard. However, when Saint Jerome translated the Latin Vulgate, he followed the Hebrew canon and designated Tobit as 'apocryphal', meaning it was not to be used for establishing doctrine, though he did provide a translation. The Protestant Reformers adopted this position, placing Tobit in the Apocrypha section of their Bibles. In contrast, the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (1546) and the Eastern Orthodox Churches formally affirmed Tobit's status as a deuterocanonical (second canon) book, considering it inspired scripture.

Key Themes

Key Passages

Reading Tips

Approach Tobit as a short story or novella rather than a historical chronicle. Its purpose is moral and theological instruction, not historical accuracy. Pay attention to the parallel structure of the plot, where two separate crises are resolved by a single divine mission. The story blends genres, including wisdom sayings, adventure, romance, and demonology. The character of Raphael is central; notice how his actions as the human guide 'Azariah' subtly reveal God's hidden providence. The book offers a comforting message that piety, charity, and family loyalty are rewarded by God, who works through both visible and invisible means to care for the faithful.

Influence & Legacy

The Book of Tobit has had a significant influence, particularly in Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, where it is considered canonical scripture. Its teachings on almsgiving, the sanctity of marriage, and the intercession of angels have deeply shaped theology and popular piety. The archangel Raphael became venerated as a patron of travelers, the blind, and healing. The story of 'Tobias and the Angel' was a very popular subject in Western art, inspiring famous works by Rembrandt, Botticelli, and Andrea del Verrocchio, among others. Although apocryphal for Jews and Protestants, its moral value was widely recognized. The discovery of Semitic fragments of Tobit at Qumran confirmed its antiquity and its place within the literature of Second Temple Judaism. The book remains an invaluable source for understanding Jewish domestic and religious life in the Hellenistic diaspora.

Manuscript Information